Claire, Diane, and the judge from Sonny's trial took Maxie's testimony in her room at General Hospital. Claire tried to get Maxie to admit that she had seen Michael in the car with Sonny on the night that Claudia died, but Maxie did not waver in her testimony when she insisted that the rain had made it impossible to see anything but Sonny and the stain on his shirt, which had been illuminated by the car's headlight when he opened the gate to his property.

Jason and Carly met with Sonny in his office in the restaurant. Sonny worried that Maxie was a flake and would reveal that Michael had been in the car with Sonny on the night Claudia died. Jason defended Maxie and said that she would not crack under pressure from the prosecutor.

Sonny remained unconvinced. Both Carly and Jason told him that he should leave the country if he did not trust Maxie. Sonny refused. He said that his children needed him. Carly said that it was not all his children he was concerned about, but Dante in particular.

Jason excused himself to check on Maxie at GH. Carly told Sonny to stop trying to form a bond with Dante. She told him that Dante would never forgive him for shooting an unarmed man. Carly told Sonny that she understood that it meant a lot to Sonny to find out that Dante was his son but that it meant absolutely nothing to Dante.

Sonny said that he would not give up on his son. He told Carly that his best option was to get acquitted and that the only person who could help was Carly. He told Carly that he trusted her more than anyone else and that they had a common goal. He said that the only way to absolve Michael of guilt was to get Sonny acquitted. Carly agreed.

After hearing how badly Sonny's trial was going, Michael packed his bag and tried to leave the island, but Max stopped him. Michael tried to get Max to let him leave, but Max remained firm. He told Michael to trust Sonny and not to take any rash action. Michael reluctantly agreed.

Alexis arrived at the lake house as Kiefer was rushing out. Once inside, she found Kristina bleeding and barely conscious. Alexis understood immediately that Kiefer was responsible for the beating.

Alexis helped Kristina to the car to take her to GH. Alexis was crying as she drove, but she assured Kristina that Kristina was not at fault. As Alexis drove, she had flashbacks of Kiefer running out of the house and Kristina lying battered on the floor. Kiefer suddenly appeared in the road ahead of Alexis. He put up his hands as a gesture for her to stop, but Alexis did not stop. She hit him with the car and Kiefer flew off the road. Alexis did not seem concerned and continued driving.

Lucky and Dante drove out to the lake house for another interview with Kristina, who they believed would tell the truth if they interviewed her again. When they got there, the door was open, the house was empty, and there was blood on the floor. They immediately called for the crime scene investigation crew. Lucky tried to confirm Ethan's whereabouts, but could not reach him by phone.

At GH, May a introduced herself to Epiphany. She also met Steve, who started talking to her about her schedule. Edward appeared and started throwing his weight around in an attempt to get preferential treatment for Maya.

Steve told Edward that his status as a board member would not influence decisions about Maya's schedule and instruction. Maya told both Edward and Steve that she wanted to succeed on her own merit and she did not expect help from Edward or anyone else. Steve was glad to hear it.

At the Quartermaines' mansion, Skye had some harsh words for Ethan about Kristina's abuse, but she was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, once she heard his version of events.

Spinelli lurked outside Maxie's door until the judge left with a happy Diane and an unhappy Claire in tow. Spinelli congratulated Maxie for keeping quiet. Jason arrived and told Maxie how grateful both he and Sonny were because she had been successful in keeping Michael out of the mix.

Diane interrupted Carly and Sonny to tell them that Maxie had held up under Claire's cross-examination. Sonny was surprised. She told Sonny that after Maxie's testimony, Diane had hope that they could win the case. Sonny got a call from Alexis about Kristina and left for the hospital.

Maxie wanted the whole truth from Spinelli, who was reluctant to tell her. Maxie guessed the truth, that Michael had killed Claudia, so Spinelli told her that Michael had seen Claudia's car from the road, stopped and followed the trail to the cabin where he found Claudia about to kidnap Josslyn. Michael had prevented Claudia by picking up the nearest object, an axe handle, and hitting her with it.

Maxie thought that it was ironic that Sonny might go to jail for the one murder that he had not committed.

On the island, Max told Michael to stop thinking about Claudia. Michael said that he could not. He told Max that he wondered every day if he could have done something different. He wondered if Claudia would still be alive if he had stopped her without hitting her or if he had hit her with something different or if he had not hit her as hard as he had. Michael was pensive as he stared at the ocean.

Alexis was in tears when she saw Sonny at the hospital He jumped to the conclusion that Ethan had attacked Kristina. Alexis did not correct that conclusion. Sonny ordered Jason to kill Ethan immediately.

At Sonny's office, Carly and Diane discussed the attack on Kristina. Diane said that Ethan should pay, but Carly shared her opinion that Kiefer, not Ethan had done the deed. Diane said that it did not matter, because if either Ethan or Kiefer ended up dead, it would cast Sonny in the worst possible light and he would most likely end up in jail for the rest of his life.

Maya had nasty things to say to Ethan when she found him at the Quartermaines'. She accused him of beating Kristina. Ethan was shocked that Kristina had been attacked again.

Lucky found Jason and told him that he had not been able to contact Ethan, but he was convinced that Ethan was not responsible for the beating that Kristina had suffered. Jason said that he had to have proof because Sonny had ordered Ethan's death.

Sonny tried to see Kristina, but Alexis said no because Kristina was afraid of Sonny. Dante arrived and went to see Kristina. Patiently, he led Kristina through recent events, including his conversation with Kiefer at Kelly's. When Dante asked who had beaten her, Kristina finally admitted that it was Kiefer. Sonny was standing outside her cubicle and heard her answer.

In a ditch by the highway, Kiefer stirred and moaned.

Sonny stood quietly outside of Kristina's examination bay while Dante questioned Kristina about the attack earlier that night. Kristina quietly admitted that Kiefer had been responsible for the assault. She also confessed that Kiefer had beaten her on March 12, 2010. Dante gently urged Kristina to tell him everything that Kiefer had done to her. Kristina admitted that the abuse had started when Kiefer would get mad and then roughly grab or shake her. It had escalated to slapping and hitting, after which Kiefer would apologize.

Kristina had tried to break up with Kiefer twice, but he had managed to persuade her to take him back. Kristina acknowledged that she had been blinded by Kiefer's popularity. Sonny entered the room as Dante assured Kristina that it wasn't her fault that she had been abused. Kristina immediately demanded to know where Jason was because she was worried that Sonny had sent Jason to kill Kiefer. Sonny tried to reassure his daughter that everything was fine, but Kristina didn't believe him.

Later, Alexis was lost in thought when Kristina asked if Alexis was mad at her for lying. Alexis insisted that Kristina hadn't done anything wrong. Kristina was worried that Sonny would hurt Kiefer. Alexis had a flashback of running over Kiefer with the car. She pushed the horrific memory away and then promised Kristina that everything would be okay. Kristina confessed that she was happy that Dante had been the one to question her about the assault. Kristina admitted that she felt a connection with Dante that made her feel as if she could trust him.

At the Haunted Star, Jason insisted that Sonny wanted the situation with Ethan "resolved tonight." Lucky was curious what Jason knew about Kiefer. Jason was aware that there had been some problems between Kiefer, Michael, and Morgan and that Carly suspected that Kiefer had attacked Kristina. Lucky confided that it would have been helpful if Jason had mentioned it sooner. Lucky explained that Alexis' neighbor had seen a car, matching the description of Kiefer's car, speeding away from the lake house on the night of Kristina's attack in March.

Lucky revealed that Kiefer had been "nervous and defensive" when he and Dante had questioned Kiefer at the diner. Moments later, Lucky's cell phone rang; it was Dante. Dante wanted Lucky to know that Kristina had identified Kiefer as the person who had attacked her. Jason immediately left for the hospital when Lucky shared the news with Jason.

At the hospital, Sonny realized how badly things could have turned out if the hit against Ethan had been carried out. Sonny admitted that he had wanted to strangle Kiefer with his bare hands when Kristina had told Dante about the abuse. Jason promised that Kiefer would pay for hurting Kristina, but he cautioned Sonny to tread carefully. Sonny couldn't understand why Kristina had gone to such lengths to protect the person who had attacked her.

Sam and Molly were driving home from a movie when Molly spotted a vehicle on the side of the road. Molly recognized Kiefer's car, but she did not see anyone near the SUV. Sam suspected that Kiefer had swerved to avoid hitting an animal based on how the car had skidded off of the road. They kept driving until Molly noticed something in the ditch. It was Kiefer. Sam pulled over and then called 9-1-1. Molly ran to Kiefer's side to check on him.

Kiefer was barely conscious, but he was able to reveal that a car had struck him and that the driver hadn't stopped. Kiefer passed out before he could identify the driver. A short time later, Kiefer arrived at the hospital in an ambulance. Steve took the opportunity to tell Sam and Molly about Kristina's attack while Kiefer was rushed to a nearby examination bay. Sam and Molly raced to the sixth floor to check on their sister.

Kristina wondered if she would have to see Kiefer in school. Alexis suggested that they wait until they had to cross that bridge. Moments later, Sam and Molly arrived to see their sister. Molly began to ask questions about the attack, but Alexis suggested that Kristina had talked about the terrifying ordeal enough for one evening. Kristina admitted that she was sick of discussing it.

Alexis changed the subject by announcing that Kristina had been cleared to go home. Sam and Molly immediately made plans to keep Kristina occupied while she recovered from her injuries. Alexis was touched by the warm moment; she confessed that she was happy to have her girls together. Molly wondered if Kristina was in any pain. Kristina complained that her jaw hurt, so Alexis decided to get some pain medication for Kristina.

After Alexis stepped out of the room, Molly tried to find out what had happened at the lake house. Sam ordered Molly to stop badgering Kristina. Kristina took the opportunity to ask Sam for a favor; she wanted Sam to stop Jason from hurting anyone because of the assault. Sam promised to take care of it and then left the room. Molly couldn't understand why Kristina wanted to protect Ethan. Kristina explained that Kiefer had been responsible for the attacks, not Ethan.

Molly was filled with remorse when she recalled how many times she had pushed Kristina and Kiefer together. Kristina was just grateful that it was all over. Molly wondered if Kristina had lied because she had feared that "Uncle Sonny" would kill Kiefer. "Yes," Kristina responded. Kristina was relieved that Kiefer was okay. "Not really," Molly admitted before she told Kristina about Kiefer's hit-and-run accident.

Sam approached Jason to ask him not to make a move against Ethan for the second assault. Jason explained that Kristina had admitted that Kiefer had attacked her both times. Sam wasn't surprised; it made perfect sense to her. Sam was curious where Jason had gone after he had heard the news about Kiefer. Jason admitted that he had returned to the hospital. Sam was glad to hear it because it meant that Jason had an alibi for Kiefer's hit-and-run.

At the Metro Court Restaurant, Jax and Warren Bauer began to chat about their private lives after they concluded their business meeting. Warren admitted that Kristina was a "pleasant enough girl," but he disapproved of her father. Jax was confident that Sonny wouldn't be a problem once he was convicted of Claudia's murder. Their talk was cut short when Olivia approached the table to break the news to Warren that Kiefer had been rushed to the hospital.

Lucky arrived at the hospital to talk to Dante about Kristina's statement regarding Kiefer. Lucky warned Dante that the Bauers would challenge Kristina's claim that Kiefer had attacked her. Dante confessed that he had felt a connection with Kristina while she had told him about the abuse. It humbled Dante to have a bond with two brothers and a sister after years of growing up as an only child.

Dante wondered if Jason knew about the change in Kristina's story. Lucky confided that Jason had been with him when Dante had called. Lucky realized that Dante didn't like Jason, but Lucky pointed out that Ethan would have been dead if not for Jason. Lucky decided to call Ethan to let him know that Ethan had been cleared of the assault.

Sonny spotted Dante outside of Kristina's room a short time later. Dante agreed to follow Sonny to the rooftop, so that they could have a private talk. Sonny thanked Dante for putting his hatred of Sonny aside to help Kristina. Sonny accused Kiefer of breaking Kristina down to such an extent that she had been afraid to trust anyone. Sonny was grateful that Dante had shown Kristina that it was okay to tell the truth. Dante couldn't believe that Sonny didn't understand the real reason why Kristina had lied.

Sonny disagreed; he argued that Kristina had lied to protect her abuser. Dante clarified that Kristina had been afraid to tell the truth because she feared that Sonny would kill Kiefer. Dante didn't think that Sonny was a good father because, instead of making Kristina feel better, Sonny had made her feel worse. Sonny acknowledged that he had made mistakes, but he would never intentionally hurt his children. Dante accused Sonny of being so selfish that Sonny's children were a distant second.

Sonny suggested that Dante was at war with himself because a part of Dante wanted Sonny to be his father. Both men were startled when Olivia suddenly appeared on the rooftop looking for Dante. Sonny immediately blamed Olivia for the hatred that Dante felt towards him. Sonny insisted that she had kept her secrets even though her son had been walking into danger. Olivia argued that she had always kept Dante safe, so she refused to apologize for the choices that she had made.

After Olivia stormed off, Sonny commented that Dante had "some mother." Dante was so infuriated by the comment that he punched Sonny in the jaw. Dante clarified that he didn't hate Sonny because of Olivia's secrets; he hated Sonny because of who Sonny was. Sonny gave Dante a free pass on the punch, but he warned Dante that the next time it would cost Dante. Sonny could only be pushed so far.

"There it is," Dante announced as he pointed at Sonny. Dante claimed that he had seen the same look in Sonny's eyes just before Sonny had pulled the trigger and then shot him. "You come and get me, any time," Dante invited Sonny.

At the Quartermaine mansion, Ethan was stunned to learn that Kristina had been attacked for a second time. Maya began having doubts about Ethan's guilt when Ethan referred to Kristina as "that poor girl" and then admitted that he didn't blame anyone for believing Kristina's claims. Ethan promised Maya that he wasn't the animal that everyone believed him to be, but he realized that it was time for him to leave town.

Skye entered the room in time to hear Ethan's decision to leave; she insisted that it would be a mistake. A short time later, Skye and Ethan arrived at the Haunted Star to talk to Luke. Ethan didn't see the point in waiting for his father, but Skye demanded that Ethan stay put until Luke arrived. Luke strolled in moments later. Luke was shocked to hear about the second attack, but he disagreed with Ethan's decision to leave town. Skye was confident in Luke's ability to help Ethan because Luke had helped her when she had been falsely accused of a crime.

Ethan didn't think that he would be able to beat a second assault charge or survive Sonny's wrath. Luke was curious where Ethan had been during the second attack. Ethan admitted that he had been trying to raise cash for his life on the run by selling some stolen merchandise. Luke pointed out that the fence would be able to provide Ethan with an alibi

Lucky decided to question Kiefer when he learned about Kiefer's accident. Kiefer became agitated when he found Lucky standing over him. Lucky tried to find out if Kiefer knew who had been driving the car, but Kiefer drifted in and out of consciousness. Warren and Melinda Bauer were livid when they entered their son's treatment bay to find Lucky interrogating Kiefer. Warren hauled Lucky away and then threatened to sue Lucky if anything happened to Kiefer.

Alexis approached the nurses' station in time to hear Steve request that an operating room be prepared for Kiefer. Moments later, the alarms in Kiefer's room went off. Steve raced into the room. Alexis hovered outside as she watched Steve struggle to stabilize Kiefer. Steve's efforts were in vain; Kiefer died as a result of his internal injuries.

Later, Ethan and Luke were reviewing Ethan's options when Lucky arrived at the casino. Lucky revealed that he had been trying to reach Ethan to tell him that Kristina had confessed that Kiefer had been responsible for the assaults. Luke and Ethan were delighted until Lucky told them about Kiefer's hit-and-run. Lucky had noticed that the front bumper on Ethan's car had been damaged.

Sam was relieved to know that Jason wasn't responsible for Kiefer's accident, but she worried that Kristina would suspect that Jason had killed Kiefer. Sam realized that Kristina had lied to protect Kiefer, but Sam regretted that she hadn't really been there for Kristina. Jason didn't think that Sam should be so hard on herself. Sam pointed out that Jason had been the only one who had truly listened to Kristina, which was why he had spotted the lie.

Steve offered his condolences to the Bauers and then invited them to take as much time as they needed to be with their son. Alexis' eyes filled with tears as she watched Melinda weep over Kiefer's body. Warren was equally grief-stricken as he recalled that Kiefer had been on his way to see Kristina the last time that he had spoken to his son. Melinda looked up to see Alexis standing at the cubicle's entrance.

Melinda immediately lashed out at Alexis. She suggested that Alexis had raised Kristina to believe that Kristina could get away with murder. By comparison, Kiefer had been a "kind" and "gentle" person who had a bright future at Harvard ahead of him. Melinda demanded to see Kristina, so that Kristina could explain to her what had happened. Melinda insisted that Kristina had been the reason that Kiefer had swerved off the road, which left him stranded and looking for help.

Warren rushed to console his wife and then ordered Alexis to leave. Alexis appeared shell-shocked as she turned to walk away. Sam spotted her mother as Alexis made her way back to Kristina's hospital room. Sam was stunned when Alexis revealed that Kiefer had passed away. Sam offered to help her mother break the news to Kristina.

In Kristina's hospital room, Molly told Kristina about Kiefer's accident. Kristina was distraught when Molly revealed that Kiefer had been in critical condition when they had arrived at the hospital. Kristina immediately assumed that Sonny had been responsible for Kiefer's hit-and-run. Molly didn't think that it was Jason's style to run someone down. Kristina was tormented by the thought that Kiefer had been left hurt, alone, and confused, "wondering why it had happened." "But that's how Kiefer left you," Molly quietly pointed out.

"That's different," Kristina argued. Kristina explained that Kiefer had trouble controlling his temper; she insisted that Kiefer had never meant to hurt her. On the other hand, Kristina believed that Sonny and Jason deliberately harmed others. Kristina realized that Molly didn't want to accept that Sonny was capable of killing Kiefer, but Kristina knew that Sonny could and "probably did." Kristina decided to check on Kiefer. Molly refused to allow Kristina to get up.

Kristina cried that Kiefer hadn't deserved to be run down. Molly agreed, but she believed that Kiefer should be arrested for abusing Kristina. Sam and Alexis entered the room moments later. Kristina quickly sensed that they had bad news. Her suspicions were confirmed when Sam told Kristina and Molly that Kiefer had succumbed to his injuries. Kristina began sobbing as her mother rushed to her side. Alexis wrapped her arms around Kristina and then rocked her daughter.

Alexis passed the hospital's conference room as Warren and Melinda Bauer told a group of reporters about their son's death. Warren offered a five million dollar reward for information that would lead to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for their son's death. Mac approached Alexis as she watched the press conference. Alexis told Mac that it was her fault, but Mac didn't realize that she had meant it literally. He insisted that she wasn't to blame for the accident.

Alexis couldn't believe that she had missed the signs of Kristina's abuse, even though there had been bruises. Mac confided that he had similar regrets after Georgie's passing. Mac's heart went out to the Bauers because they had lost their child. Alexis admitted that she felt terrible for Melinda because Melinda had no idea what Kiefer had done to Kristina. Alexis hated Kiefer for hurting Kristina, but she had never wished for him to die. Mac encouraged Alexis to be strong for Kristina's sake.

Dante caught up with Olivia just as she reached the elevators. Olivia was seething with fury because of her confrontation with Sonny on the hospital's rooftop. Olivia understood if Dante wanted to have a relationship with Sonny, but she refused to apologize for the choices that she had made. Dante confessed that his thoughts were on his old tree house. Olivia appeared perplexed. She wondered if he was referring to the one that she had torn down because she had been afraid that Dante would fall and break his neck. Dante reminded her that he had been so mad at her for destroying the tree house that he had vowed never to forgive her.

Olivia admitted that she would always try to protect Dante, even if he hated her for it. Dante realized that he had been a "dope" for holding a grudge against his mother. Dante confessed that he had punched Sonny after Sonny had blamed Olivia for Dante's refusal to accept Sonny as his father. Dante could see how damaged Sonny's children were, so he conceded that Olivia had made the right decision. Olivia welled up with tears when Dante told her that he loved her. She immediately reached out to hug her son.

At the garage, Johnny enlisted a man named Eddie to help him take down Sonny's organization. Eddie quickly excused himself when Olivia arrived. Olivia was in a good mood because she had reconciled with Dante. Johnny was delighted to see that Olivia was happy. He decided that she deserved to be pampered for the rest of the evening. Later, Johnny surprised Olivia with a candlelight pizza and beer dinner. Olivia chuckled as she sat down at the elegantly set table.

Johnny explained that he would have served her dinner in his apartment, but he knew that she hated the mess. Olivia didn't mind it too much because it gave Johnny an excuse to spend more time at her place. She was startled when Johnny suddenly suggested that they move in together. Olivia tried to avoid answering him, but Johnny refused to let her ignore the question.

Olivia didn't understand why Johnny wanted to ruin a good thing by living together. Johnny realized that Olivia wasn't ready, but he wanted her to at least think about it. Olivia kissed Johnny instead of answering him.

Dante approached Jason in the waiting area. Jason told Dante that Kiefer had died. Dante was curious how Jason managed to do what he did for Sonny when it was clear that Sonny's children's lives were a wreck. Dante understood loyalty, but he felt that Jason took it too far. Jason didn't think that Dante knew the meaning of loyalty. Dante suggested that Jason set aside his hatred of Dante to hear what Dante was trying to say.

Dante loved his siblings and he wanted only the best for them. Dante suggested that protecting Sonny had the opposite affect on Sonny's kids. Jason appeared deep in thought as Dante walked away.

Later, Dante was trying to relax when Lulu stopped by the loft. She was surprised to see that Dante was home. Dante told Lulu about his confrontation with Sonny at the hospital. He realized what an "ass" he had been towards Olivia. However, he admitted that he was a bit confused by her choice to date Johnny when she was opposed to Sonny's lifestyle.

Lulu suspected that Dante wasn't really concerned about Olivia because she was a grown woman who was capable to taking care of herself. Dante admitted that he was worried about his siblings, but he didn't want to ruin their evening by dwelling on something that he didn't have any control over. Dante decided to put on some music. Lulu laughed when Hawaiian music filled the room. Dante confessed that the CD had been purchased for a bachelor party a few years back.

At the mention of the bachelor party, Dante confided that he felt as if he had held his mother back from finding "Mr. Right." Lulu suggested that it might have been Olivia's choice to remain single. Dante suspected that Olivia had been too busy raising him to have a social life. He respected his mother because she hadn't taken the "easy way out" by having an abortion. Lulu grew quiet as Dante talked about how much he admired his mother for deciding to raise him on her own.

Dante was bewildered when Lulu suddenly announced that she had to leave. Lulu gathered her things and was out the door before Dante could talk her out of it. In the elevator, Lulu recalled a conversation that she had with her father when she was a teen about her decision to terminate her pregnancy.

Molly and Kristina were despondent as they tried to absorb the news that Kiefer had died. Sam decided to take Molly home when Alexis returned. Kristina was eager to talk to Jason, so she asked Sam to send him to the room. Alexis didn't think Kristina was ready, but Kristina was determined to see Jason. A short time later, Jason entered the room to find Kristina alone.

Kristina demanded that Jason tell her the truth. Jason promised that he would, so Kristina asked, "Did you kill Kiefer? Did my dad?" "No, I didn't," Jason replied. He also assured her that Sonny didn't have anything to do with Kiefer's accident. Jason wondered if she was okay. Kristina confessed that she needed someone to listen to her without judgment.

Kristina felt responsible for Kiefer's death; if she hadn't lied then Kiefer would still be alive. Jason reminded Kristina that everyone made mistakes, but Kiefer never had the right to hit her. Kristina hated that Kiefer had hurt her, but she also loved him. She explained that Kiefer had always been deeply remorseful after he had hit her. Kristina broke down in tears as she admitted that she couldn't believe that Kiefer was dead.

Alexis asked Steve to check in on Kristina. As Steve walked away, Alexis noticed a news report on a nearby television. The news anchor announced that an arrest had been made in Kiefer's hit-and-run accident.

At the Haunted Star, Lucky was curious how the front fender of Ethan's car had been dented. Ethan wasn't certain, but he suspected that he had hit a deer. Lucky recalled when he and Luke had hit a deer. Lucky assured Ethan that it wasn't something that a person wouldn't notice. Lucky urged Ethan to be honest; otherwise Lucky couldn't help his brother.

Luke decided to have a look at fender to assess the damage. Lucky informed Luke that an "overzealous rookie" had already arranged to have the car towed to the police station. "Without a warrant?" Ethan demanded. Lucky shrugged; he didn't think that it mattered at that point, since the car was already in the system. Lucky explained that the car would be processed and then released to Ethan if they didn't find any evidence of a hit-and-run. "This is why I hate cops," Luke grumbled.

Ethan confessed that he thought that someone had been following him earlier that night. Ethan claimed that he had seen headlights in his rearview mirror. Lucky wasn't surprised, but before he could complete the thought, Lucky's cell phone rang. Luke took the opportunity to ask if Ethan was making up the story. Ethan reminded his father that he couldn't explain to Lucky that he had been selling stolen merchandise to a fence. Luke agreed. Lucky ended the call then turned back to Ethan.

Lucky explained that the Bauers were screaming for an arrest. Luke wasn't concerned; he pointed out that there wasn't a case without evidence. Luke suggested that they wait until Kiefer could tell them if he had seen the driver. Lucky revealed that it would never happen because Kiefer had died.

Mac called Lucky a short time later to warn Lucky that Warren Bauer had friends in high places. Mac had a senator breathing down his neck. Lucky seemed resigned when Mac revealed that the damage to Ethan's car was consistent with hitting a pedestrian. Lucky ended the call and then arrested Ethan. Luke followed his sons to the police station.

As Ethan was booked, Luke confronted Mac. Luke accused Mac of using Ethan as a scapegoat. Mac insisted that the investigation was ongoing; he promised Luke that the person responsible for Kiefer's death would be held accountable.

At the park, Robin was surprised when she spotted Nikolas sitting in the sandbox with Spencer. Nikolas chuckled; he confessed that it had been more fun to play with Spencer than he had thought it would be. Nikolas regretted that he had missed bonding with Spencer when Spencer had been an infant. Robin reminded Nikolas that it hadn't been his fault because Jax and Carly had taken Spencer from him. Nikolas admitted that he wanted a real relationship with Spencer and the new baby. Nikolas missed not growing up with his siblings, so he wanted Spencer to have the opportunity that Nikolas had been denied.

Robin and Nikolas sat down on a park bench while Spencer continued to play in the sandbox. Nikolas confided that Lulu had accused him of wanting the baby to be his because Nikolas was desperate to retain a connection with Liz. Robin was curious if Lulu had "nailed it." Nikolas insisted that he just wanted to be present in his children's lives.

At the Webber residence, Liz was trying to get ready for work while the boys were running around the living room. Liz was grateful when Steve arrived to take the boys to daycare. Cameron and Jake squealed with delight as they ran into their uncle's waiting arms. Liz appreciated Steve's help. As Steve left with the boys, she promised to catch up with Steve at work.

Later, Steve returned to his sister's house to find her napping on the sofa. Liz was stunned when she realized that she had fallen asleep instead of getting ready for work. She immediately blamed it on her pregnancy, but Steve suggested that perhaps she had left Shadybrook too soon. Liz sensed that Steve wanted her to consider returning to Shadybrook. She argued that her boys needed consistency, so she refused to leave them again. Liz pleaded with Steve to show his support by helping her instead of trying to get her to return to the sanitarium. Steve quickly relented and then gave her twenty minutes to get ready for work.

At Metro Court, Morgan raved about the restaurant's pancake breakfast that he had recently devoured. However, Morgan confessed that he enjoyed Jax's pancakes more. Morgan also admitted that he missed having Michael and Jax around. Jax walked up moments later to pick up Josslyn. Morgan was thrilled when Jax invited him to spend time on the boat after school. Carly thought it was a wonderful idea for Jax and Morgan to spend time together.

Later, Carly caught up with Jax and Josslyn in the park. As Carly settled down on the blanket with Jax and Josslyn, Jax admitted that he wanted to work things out with Carly. Carly didn't think that they should discuss it until after Sonny's trial. Jax didn't try to hide his disappointment.

At the police station, Dante was on the phone trying to get an update about the accident that had led to Kiefer's death. Ronnie suggested that Dante needed to learn to prioritize; Ronnie insisted that finding Michael to testify against Sonny was more important than the Bauer accident. Ronnie suspected that Dante knew exactly where Michael was stashed, but Dante denied it. Dante believed that they had sufficient evidence to convict Sonny without Michael's testimony.

Claire walked up in time to hear Dante's comment. Claire disagreed with Dante's assessment; she demanded that he locate Michael immediately. Ronnie wished Claire luck getting through to Dante and then walked away. Dante assured her that he didn't know where Michael was; however, he didn't think that putting a "traumatized kid" on the stand was a good idea.

Dante returned to investigating Kiefer's hit-and-run until he spotted Ronnie escorting Johnny to an interrogation room. Dante followed Ronnie and then tried to join in on the interrogation. Ronnie was instantly suspicious of Dante's motives because of Dante's reluctance to help track down Michael. Ronnie believed that Michael's testimony was crucial to convicting Sonny. Dante sarcastically reminded Ronnie that Claire was supposed to have been the key to putting Sonny away.

Ronnie admitted that it baffled him why Johnny seemed reluctant to help them find Michael. Johnny suggested that if Ronnie's case hinged on dragging a "brain-damaged kid" in to testify, then Ronnie wasn't the great cop that he tried to pass himself off to be. After Johnny walked out, Ronnie turned to Dante. Ronnie warned Dante that Dante was really close to obstruction of justice.

Olivia and Johnny were cuddling on a bench outside of the courtroom when Sonny approached them. Sonny suggested that Olivia's testimony was an opportunity for her to pick up where her boyfriend had left off by putting another nail in Sonny's coffin. Sonny wondered if Olivia could manage to tell the truth after "twenty years of lying" to him about Dante. Olivia clarified that she didn't have an agenda. Her conscience was clear, so she intended to tell the truth on the stand.

Sonny reminded Johnny that Claudia hadn't been an innocent victim. Johnny agreed that Claudia hadn't been innocent, but he insisted that Sonny had made her victim. Sonny turned back to Olivia; he believed that Olivia needed to make Sonny out to be a monster to justify her lies. Olivia refused to rise to the bait.

A short time later, Judge Carroll entered the courtroom. The judge reminded Diane and Claire that he wouldn't tolerate their shenanigans. Diane and Claire nodded their agreement, so Judge Carroll invited Claire to call her next witness. After Olivia was sworn in, Claire asked how Olivia knew Sonny. "He knocked me up when I was fifteen," Olivia answered. Claire did her best to get to the truth of Dante's shooting, but Olivia refused to be tricked into admitting that Sonny had shot Dante.

Next, Claire questioned Olivia about the night of Claudia's murder. Claire wanted to know where Michael had been. Olivia admitted that Jax had dropped by Greystone Manor when looking for Michael, but Michael was nowhere to be found. Claire was curious when Sonny had left his home. Olivia revealed that it had been shortly after Sam had called to let them know that Carly and the baby were fine. Claire wondered why no one had been concerned about Michael's disappearance.

Olivia explained that everyone had been worried about Carly and the baby, so it hadn't occurred to them that Michael might be in trouble. Diane cross-examined Olivia after Claire finished with Olivia. Diane quickly established that Michael had a history of disappearing for extended periods of time without telling anyone, so his absence that night had not been unusual. After Diane finished, the judge excused Olivia and then called a recess.

In the hallway, Sonny thanked Olivia for her testimony. Olivia made it clear that she had told the truth; if it had helped Michael then she was okay with that. Meanwhile, in the courtroom, Ronnie approached Claire to let her know that Johnny hadn't been able to help them locate Michael. Claire realized that she had to settle for the witness that she could get. Sonny returned to the courtroom moments later.

Claire acknowledged that Olivia's testimony hadn't gone as Claire had expected. Sonny smugly informed the prosecutor that hell would freeze over before Michael would testify. Claire smiled as she confided that she would just have to settle for someone else to help her out.

Jason picked up Spinelli from the hospital. Spinelli was in a good mood because Maxie was also being released. Jason confessed that he needed Spinelli's help. Jason suspected that Alexis knew more about Kiefer's accident than she had been willing to admit. Jason explained that Kristina had lied about Ethan attacking her.

Spinelli understood Kristina's desire to protect Kiefer from Sonny's wrath, but he couldn't fathom why she would endanger Ethan. Jason suggested that she might have thought that Ethan would be safe because of Sonny's longstanding friendship with Luke. Jason revealed that everyone had suspected that Jason had been responsible for Kiefer's accident when they had learned that Kiefer had been found on the side of the road less than an hour after Kristina's confession. According to Jason, Alexis was the only person who hadn't asked questions.

Spinelli realized that it was unusual for Alexis not to be suspicious. A short time later, Jason and Spinelli arrived at the penthouse. Spinelli tested out his new gift from Jason: a scooter. Afterwards, Spinelli sat down, opened his laptop, and then began working. Spinelli thought it might be a good idea to talk to Sam about what she had seen.

Jason thought that Sam had enough to deal with, so he didn't want her to worry about Alexis' possible involvement in the accident. As if on cue, Sam entered the penthouse. She warmly welcomed Spinelli home and then noticed that his laptop was open. She casually inquired what Jason had him working on. Spinelli lied to keep Sam from finding out.

Sam began talking about Kristina. She confessed that her sister was a mess because of Kiefer's death. Sam was grateful that Jason and Sonny hadn't been responsible for the accident because she didn't think that Kristina could handle knowing that "someone in her family" had killed Kiefer. After Sam left for the hospital, Spinelli confessed that he hoped that Jason was wrong about Alexis. Spinelli's hopes were dashed a few minutes later when he found surveillance footage of Kiefer walking down the road shortly after Kiefer's car had skidded off the road. As Jason and Spinelli advanced the security tape, they spotted Alexis' car speeding down the same stretch of road.

At the hospital, Kristina was curious if Alexis knew if a date had been set for Kiefer's funeral. Kristina worried that the Bauers might not want her to attend. Alexis suggested that Kristina not lose sight of the fact that Kiefer was the reason that Kristina was in the hospital. Diane entered the room moments later. Kristina was curious if Diane had heard about Kiefer's accident. Kristina confessed that she couldn't believe that someone had left Kiefer on the side of the road to die.

Diane expressed her sympathy for Kristina's loss until Alexis asked Diane to step out into the hallway for a private word. In the hallway, Diane admitted that she was not sorry that Kiefer had died; she thought that he had gotten exactly what he had deserved. Alexis made it clear that she expected her next words to be protected by attorney/client privilege. Diane assured her that they would be.

Alexis confessed that she had killed Kiefer. Diane ushered Alexis to a nearby seating area where Alexis told Diane about the events leading up to the hit-and-run. Alexis was filled with remorse as she explained that she had been falling apart as she rushed Kristina to the hospital. According to Alexis, she had glanced up in time to see Kiefer just as she struck him with her car. Alexis admitted that she hadn't stopped, swerved, or hit her brakes, but she insisted that she hadn't meant to kill Kiefer.

Diane didn't think that Alexis could avoid jail time for the accident, but she urged Alexis to confess as soon as possible. Alexis understood that she needed to act quickly, but she wanted just a little more time with Kristina. Diane advised Alexis to turn herself in right away or not at all. After Diane left, Bobbie tracked down Alexis. Bobbie suggested that Kristina would need counseling.

Bobbie told Alexis about what it was like growing up with Tim Spencer, who had abused his wife. Bobbie also recalled being married to D.L. Brock, who had battered Bobbie throughout their marriage. Bobbie promised that counseling and a stable environment would greatly benefit Kristina. Alexis felt as if she had "screwed up." Bobbie assured Alexis that Alexis was a wonderful role model whom Kristina could look up to.

Alexis returned to Kristina's room. Before Alexis entered, she had a flashback of the moment that she ran over Kiefer. Alexis shook the horrific image away and then announced that she had something important to tell Kristina.

Ronnie arrived at Morgan's school with a social worker. Morgan recalled that Dante had warned him not to trust Ronnie. Ronnie ignored the comment to hand the principal a summons that authorized Ronnie and the social worker to take Morgan to the courthouse. Ronnie explained that Morgan had been called to testify in his father's trial.

At the park, Carly was annoyed that Jax refused to see the damage that he had caused by going after Sonny. Carly blamed Jax for Claire's arrival in town. She believed that Claire wouldn't stop until she found Michael. Carly warned Jax that things were going to end one of two ways: Michael would lie or he would confess to killing Claudia and then go to jail. Both scenarios were unappealing to her.

Carly hoped that Jax enjoyed his day with Josslyn, but she refused to spend another minute with Jax. Carly headed to the Metro Court after she left the park. Tracy was in the lobby waiting for Carly. Tracy revealed that Ethan had been arrested for Kiefer's hit-and-run, even though Ethan hadn't hurt Kiefer. Tracy hoped that Carly could persuade Jax to get the Bauers to back off while they cleared Ethan's name.

Carly didn't think that she would have much success getting through to Jax because of their recent argument. Before Tracy could continue to plead her case, Carly's cell phone rang. It was the principal of Morgan's school. Carly was shocked when the principal informed her that a police officer and social worker had picked up Morgan.

At the police station, Luke waited for Ethan after Tracy had bailed Ethan out of jail. Luke was stunned when Ethan entered the squad room with a battered face. Ethan explained that apparently prisoners didn't take kindly to men who were accused of beating up young girls. Luke suspected that Dante had deliberately put Ethan in a cell with someone who would punish Ethan in a way that the police couldn't. Dante denied it, but he didn't appear too concerned about Ethan's condition.

Dante suggested that perhaps the same short fuse that had led Ethan to run down Kiefer had set off a fight with Ethan's cellmate. Luke threatened to sue the police department, but Ethan wasn't interested in going that route. Ethan simply wanted to leave. Luke insisted that Ethan go to the hospital to be checked out. As Ethan started to leave, Dante reminded Ethan to remain in town.

Once Ethan left, Luke warned Dante to stop using Ethan as a scapegoat. Luke argued that Ethan had been wrongly accused of assaulting Kristina and that he was innocent of killing Kiefer. Dante acknowledged that Kristina had lied about Ethan's involvement in the attack; however, it didn't clear him of the hit-and-run. Dante suggested that Luke allow the legal system to work.

At the Haunted Star, Tracy informed Luke that she had failed to get the Bauers to back down. Luke warned Tracy that they had bigger problems. Before he could explain, Lulu entered the office and demanded to know what the family emergency was. Luke explained that Dante had thrown Ethan into a cell with a felon who had attacked Ethan. Lulu didn't think that Dante would do that, but Luke suggested that she tell that to Ethan's abused face.

Luke warned Lulu that she would have to choose between her family and Dante. Lulu couldn't believe that Luke had the nerve to talk about family loyalty after he had abandoned his children for years. Lulu made it clear that she would stand by Dante's side. Luke warned Lulu that cops and mobsters were two sides of the same coin. He insisted that Dante was not the person that Lulu thought he was.

After Lulu stormed out, Tracy sarcastically noted, "That went well." She reminded Luke that Lulu loved Dante. According to Tracy, Luke had made it impossible for Lulu to do anything but run straight to Dante.

Morgan, Ronnie, and the social worker arrived at the courthouse shortly after leaving Morgan's school. Morgan was curious why Dante wasn't there. Ronnie confided that Dante was in trouble because the "lawyers handling your dad's case" suspected that Dante had lied on the witness stand. Ronnie warned Morgan that Dante might lose his badge if the lawyers could prove that Dante had perjured himself. Morgan wondered how he could help his brother.

Ronnie urged Morgan to confirm everything that Dante had testified to. Ronnie continued to manipulate Morgan by reminding the young boy that Dante had once saved Morgan's life, so it was Morgan's chance to return the favor. Meanwhile, the social worker sat silently in the background.

Jason and Spinelli reviewed security footage of Kiefer walking shortly after Kiefer's car had skidded off of the road. Two minutes later, Alexis' car was seen on the camera heading in the same direction towards the hospital. Spinelli suggested that it didn't prove that Alexis had hit Kiefer, since the surveillance camera had nor captured the accident. Jason agreed, but he pointed out that it was pretty damaging.

Spinelli felt terrible for Kristina. Jason agreed; he worried that Kristina would snap if it turned out that Alexis was responsible for Kiefer's death. Spinelli reminded Jason that Ethan had been falsely accused of the attack and now the hit-and-run. Spinelli pointed out that they might owe it to Ethan to reveal what they knew about the accident.

Jason went to the police station to talk to Lucky, but Dante revealed that Lucky wasn't there. Moments later, Carly marched into the police station demanding to see her son. Dante explained that Morgan wasn't there, but Carly didn't believe him. She told Dante and Jason that a police officer and social worker had picked Morgan up from school. Dante suspected that Ronnie was behind the stunt, so he made some phone calls. Eventually Dante discovered that Morgan had been taken to the courthouse.

Carly headed to the courthouse with the intention of yanking her son off of the witness stand. She was terrified that Morgan would be tricked into revealing that Michael had killed Claudia. Jason stopped Carly from entering the courtroom. He reminded her that she was Sonny's key witness, so she couldn't risk losing credibility by storming into the courtroom.

Jax arrived at the school to pick up Morgan, so that they could spend time at the marina on the boat. Jax was surprised when the principal told him about the subpoena.

In the courtroom, Sonny stood at the defense table gloating that Claire wouldn't get the chance to use his son against him. Claire confidently promised Sonny that his son would play a pivotal role in Sonny's conviction. Sonny didn't seem concerned. He reminded her that she had an opportunity to question Dante, but it hadn't gone the way that she had hoped, despite Dante's desire to put Sonny in jail. Claire pointed out that a woman was dead. She refused to allow Sonny to get away with the murder even if a good cop had lied to protect Sonny.

Claire didn't see Sonny as a good mobster, like those around Sonny did. She thought that he was a coward and a bully who hid behind his family. Claire insisted that putting Sonny away would be a favor to everyone. She then excused herself, explaining that she had to prepare for an important witness.

Later, Claire questioned a forensics technician about the tire tracks found near the cabin on the night of Claudia's murder. The tech confirmed that the tracks were consistent with the tires on Michael's car. Sonny was uncomfortable with the way things were going, but Diane assured him that she could handle it. A few minutes later, Diane established that there wasn't any evidence to suggest that Michael's car had made the tracks near the cabin, just a car like it.

After the tech was excused, Claire called her next witness: Morgan. Diane immediately objected; she informed the judge that Morgan had not been on the witness list. Claire seemed unconcerned as she explained to the judge that it was a fast-moving trial and that Diane should try to keep up. Diane asked to approach the bench alone, which Claire readily agreed to.

Sonny walked over to Claire while Diane addressed the judge. Sonny warned Claire that if she put Morgan on the stand that he would make certain that she regretted it. "Did you just threaten me in open court?" Claire yelled out. The judge was outraged. He ordered Sonny to return to his seat and then denied Diane's request. Morgan entered the courtroom moments later. Sonny smiled encouragingly at Morgan while Claire began to question Morgan about the night of Claudia's death.

Morgan managed to answer honestly without harming his father's case. Morgan became uncomfortable as Claire began to ask questions about Michael in the hopes of learning if Michael had seen Sonny kill Claudia. All heads turned when Dante suddenly entered the courtroom and then announced that he was there to "retrieve Morgan on behalf of his parents."

Epiphany gave Maya a tour of the hospital. As they returned to the nurses' station, Epiphany boasted that they had one of the finest hospital staffs in the nation. Epiphany then warned Maya that it was either Epiphany's way or the wrong way, which Maya would do well to remember. Liz arrived for work moments later. Epiphany quickly introduced Maya to Liz. Maya recognized the last name, which prompted Liz to reveal that the chief of staff was her brother.

Later, Patrick caught an error that Liz had made. Steve overheard Patrick and Liz, so he questioned Patrick about the mistake. Patrick reminded Steve that they were doing things a new way and that it was Liz's first day back at work. Steve didn't care; he couldn't afford for Liz to drop the ball. Steve decided to reassign Liz, effective immediately.

Alexis announced that she had to tell Kristina something that might upset Kristina. Kristina wasn't ready to hear more bad news; she begged her mother to wait until they got home. Alexis sat down and then told her daughter that the doctors wanted to keep Kristina in the hospital for one more night. Sam tried to calm her sister, but Kristina refused to spend another night with nothing to do, but think about how she could have prevented Kiefer from dying.

Alexis wished that Kristina would stop blaming herself for what had happened. Kristina remained wracked with guilt, so Sam did her best to comfort her sister. Kristina didn't know how to stop feeling responsible for the accident; she felt as if she were in a nightmare that would never end. Later, Alexis and Sam stepped into the hallway. Sam admitted that she could have used Alexis' help with Kristina.

Sam was shocked when Alexis suddenly confessed to killing Kiefer. Sam whisked her mother into a nearby room for privacy, where Alexis proceeded to tell Sam everything. Alexis realized that she had to confess to the hit-and-run. Sam was certain that Alexis would go to jail, so she begged Alexis to wait. Sam wanted to discuss it with Jason and Spinelli to see if they could find a way out for Alexis.

Alexis returned to Kristina's room a short time later. Alexis explained that she had made an appointment for Kristina to see a therapist. Kristina was reluctant to go, but Alexis stood firm. Alexis thought that it was important to discover why Kristina had thought it was okay for Kiefer to hurt her and why Kristina hadn't felt that she could talk to Alexis about it. Kristina was curious if Alexis would go to the sessions with her. Alexis promised that she would, but Kristina needed to attend the first one alone.

Epiphany wondered what had happened to Ethan when she saw him approach the nurses' station. Ethan explained that he became frustrated being thrown into jail for things that he hadn't done, so he decided to start banging his head against a wall. "Smart ass," Epiphany grumbled as she led him to an examination bay.

A short time later, Kristina spotted Ethan near the elevators. Kristina demanded to know if Ethan had killed Kiefer. Ethan couldn't believe Kristina's gall to accuse him of running over Kiefer after she had falsely blamed Ethan for attacking her, in order to protect the "piece of garbage" who had really hurt her. Kristina cried that that Kiefer wasn't a piece of garbage; she insisted that Kiefer had been a decent person. Ethan argued that decent people didn't assault women. Maya approached Ethan and Kristina as they screamed back-and-forth at each other. Maya ordered Ethan to back off.

Alexis entered the police station and then waited for Mac. Alexis recalled Diane's advice to turn herself in to the police. Mac walked up moments later to see how Alexis was doing. Alexis confessed that she needed to talk to Mac.